How to Download Your GM Vehicle’s Window Sticker

If you’ve ever misplaced your vehicle’s original window sticker, you’ll be glad to know General Motors makes it easy to get a digital copy — no dealer visit required.

Your window sticker is a valuable resource that lists your car’s original MSRP, factory options, standard equipment, and fuel economy ratings. It’s handy for resale, insurance, or simply keeping your records complete.

How to Get Yours

1. Find your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). You can locate it on your registration, insurance card, or on the dashboard near the windshield.

2. Copy and paste the link below into your browser:

https://cws.gm.com/vs-cws/vehshop/v2/vehicle/windowsticker?vin=[YOUR VIN NUMBER HERE]

3. Replace [YOUR VIN NUMBER HERE] with your actual VIN.

4. Press Enter, and your browser will open a PDF of your original window sticker. You can view, download, or print it.

Example:
If your VIN is 1G1FW6S06K4101234, your link would look like:

https://cws.gm.com/vs-cws/vehshop/v2/vehicle/windowsticker?vin=1G1FW6S06K4101234

A Few Notes

• Works for most GM brands: Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick.

• Availability depends on the model year — generally works for newer vehicles (approx. 2013+).

• If it doesn’t load, the record might not be in GM’s online archive.

This little trick is especially useful when shopping for a used car — you can see exactly how it was optioned from the factory before buying.

What Comes in the Chevy Bolt’s Emergency Trunk Kit

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My Bolt delivery has been delayed in delivery because the dealer (CarMax) noticed something important. The factory emergency kit was missing its Level 1 charger. Since that’s one of the core items that comes with the car, I thought it would be a good time to go over exactly what’s included in the kit, so other buyers can double-check theirs.

In the trunk, tucked into the storage area under the floor, the Bolt includes:

• Level 1 Charger (120V) — This plugs into a standard household outlet and provides slow charging in a pinch. Not a long-term charging solution, but essential for emergencies or when traveling somewhere without Level 2 charging.

• 12V Air Compressor — Plugs into the car’s 12V outlet and can inflate a low or flat tire enough to get you moving again.

• Tire Sealant Canister — Designed to work with the included compressor, this sealant can temporarily patch small punctures so you can get to a repair shop.

• Tow Hook Bolt — Screws into a hidden threaded port behind a removable cover on the bumper, allowing the car to be winched or pulled without damaging the frame.

• Flathead/Phillips Screwdriver — Primarily for removing the tow hook cover plate or other minor roadside fixes.

• Emergency Triangle — A reflective roadside warning triangle you can set behind the car to alert other drivers if you’re stopped, especially at night or in low visibility conditions.

Why It Matters to Check Your Kit

It’s worth inspecting your kit as soon as you get the car, especially if buying used. Items like the Level 1 charger or compressor are easy to misplace or forget after a previous owner has cleaned out the car. Replacing these through a dealer can be surprisingly expensive, and they’re good to have ready before you ever need them.

Small Upgrades Worth Considering

While the factory kit covers the basics, adding a few extra items can make you even more prepared: a tire plug kit, a small flashlight, gloves, a compact first aid kit, and even a portable jump starter (EVs still rely on a 12V battery for certain systems). For under $50 on Amazon you can find pre-made kits with most or all of these items.

The takeaway? The Chevy Bolt’s factory kit is well thought out, but only if it’s complete. Mine being missing the charger is an inconvenience, but it’s far better to find that out before delivery than when I’m stranded somewhere.

Image Courtesy: BrandEver chevybolt.org

Why I’m Not Worried About Skipping DC Fast Charging

 

When I started shopping for a used EV, one of the first features I saw everyone insisting on was DC fast charging. It’s tempting: “Need a charge? Just 30 minutes and you're good to go!” But believe it or not, I chose an EV without it—and it makes perfect sense for my life.

My daily commute is about 40 miles round trip. Compared to the average American one-way commute, which clocks in around 26 minutes (or roughly 20–25 miles), mine is above average but still nowhere near the point where range anxiety sets in. Charging at home every night means I wake up with 100% battery ready to go. Since my errands and routine driving all fall well within my EV’s range, DC fast charging feels more like insurance I’ll never use. For those rare long trips, we still have a reliable gas car. That spare vehicle gives me the flexibility of an electric daily drive without worrying about distant charging infrastructure.

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The Real Cost of “Fast”

Public charging isn’t just fast—it’s costly. Plug in at home, and you’re paying around $0.15 per kWh. Hit a DC fast charger, and you’re more likely to shell out around $0.40 per kWh. For a Chevy Bolt’s 66 kWh battery, that means a full overnight home charge would cost about $9.90, compared to $26.40 at a DC fast station—a nearly threefold increase.

Over time, especially if you relied on public “fast” charging, that cost difference adds up. Charging at home saves money and avoids the hassle—or unreliability—of public stations.

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But Is the Bolt’s DC Fast Charging Worth It Anyway?

Even if you did want it, here’s the thing: the Bolt isn’t exactly a DC speed demon.

The 2020 Chevy Bolt maxes out around 55 kW on DC fast charging. That’s fine, but compared to EVs that charge at 150–250 kW, it’s slow by today’s standards. Going from 10% to 80% might still take about 45–60 minutes under ideal conditions. And in cold weather, or at crowded stations, it can be even slower.

So yes, it’s faster than Level 2 charging—but not by a jaw-dropping amount. If you have a gas car for longer trips, it’s just not worth paying extra for a feature you’ll rarely use at a speed that isn’t all that “fast” in the first place.

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The Battery Health Factor

One of the less-talked-about drawbacks of DC fast charging is its impact on long-term battery health. Rapidly pushing large amounts of current into a battery generates more heat, and heat is one of the main factors that accelerates lithium-ion battery degradation.

Manufacturers design EVs to handle occasional DC fast charging without major issues, but studies and real-world fleet data show that frequent high-speed charging can reduce battery capacity over time. For example, a battery that sees DC fast charging multiple times a week may lose usable range faster than one that’s mostly charged slowly at home.

Since my charging is nearly all done overnight at Level 2 speeds, I’m giving my battery the gentlest possible life—and likely extending its usable range for years to come.

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“You Don’t Need It Until You Need It”

This is the most common argument I see in EV forums, and it’s not wrong—if you don’t have a plan B. But here’s the thing: I do have a plan B. It’s called a gas car. For those once-in-a-blue-moon trips that stretch beyond my EV’s range, we just take that instead.

If this were my only vehicle, I’d agree DC fast charging might be worth having for emergencies. But when you have two cars—one electric for daily use, one gas for anything else—you’re simply not going to find yourself stranded on the side of the road wishing for a 350 kW charger.

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Resale Value Without DC Fast Charging

One thing worth mentioning is resale value. The lack of DC fast charging might make your car less appealing to some buyers in the future—especially if they’re looking for a single-vehicle household EV. That could mean a slightly lower sale price compared to the same model with the option.

However, the flip side is that you’re also paying less up front. On used EVs like the Bolt, skipping DC fast charging can easily save you $500–$1,000 on the purchase price. If you drive the car for many years, the money saved now may offset any small hit in resale value later—especially as EV range and charging networks improve, making home charging even more practical.

And let’s be honest: EV tech is moving quickly. By the time I’m ready to sell, the buyers most concerned about road trip speed will likely be looking at newer models with much faster charging anyway.

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How Fast Can You Really Charge at Home?

Here’s how long it would take to add 50% charge (about 33 kWh) to a Chevy Bolt EV’s 66 kWh battery at different home charging speeds:

Charging Setup	Amps	Approx. kW Output	Time for 50% Charge
Level 2 (240V) – 20A	20A	~4.8 kW	~6.9 hours
Level 2 (240V) – 30A	30A	~7.2 kW	~4.6 hours
Level 2 (240V) – 32A	32A	~7.7 kW	~4.3 hours

Even at 20 amps, you can easily recover a half-battery overnight. At 32 amps, you’re back to full from 50% in under five hours—long before morning coffee is ready.

If you would like to look at the math in more detail see my page about EV Jargon and math. 

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When DC Fast Charging Is Actually Worth It

• Apartment living: No guaranteed overnight charging spot? DCFC can be your lifeline.

• Single-vehicle households: If your EV is your only car, you’ll want the flexibility for emergencies.

• High-mileage drivers: Anyone regularly exceeding 150–200 miles in a day will benefit from the time saved.

• Road trippers: Love long drives? DCFC will make them feasible without multi-hour breaks.

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Bottom Line

DC fast charging may seem essential in ads, but it’s not a necessity for everyone—especially not for me. My 40-mile commute, dependable home charging, and gas backup mean I get cost-effective, hassle-free electric driving daily. Skipping the fast-charger option let me save money and keep my EV experience simple and satisfying. And with the Bolt’s modest DC speed, I’m not missing much. As a bonus, my battery will thank me for the slower, gentler charging pace.

Daniel and His Electric Car

Ever read a bedtime story about an EV1? Now you can. I’ve dusted off Daniel and His Electric Car, a whimsical blast from GM’s electric past, and stitched it back together for the internet. Equal parts nostalgia and volts — grab your juice box, it’s story time. Print out the last page for your kids to color!

Get it on this page!

If you read this as a kid I would love to hear about it in the comments!

Picking and Installing A Home Charger on 100-Amp Service

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When I bought my Bolt I knew I wanted the convenience of charging at home. The twist: my house has 100-amp service, and there’s a persistent internet myth that you must upgrade to 200-amp service to add a Level-2 charger. That isn’t true for the Bolt — with the right approach, 100-amp service is more than enough.

Disclaimer: I’m not an electrician — just an EV owner sharing my personal experience. Electrical work can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Always consult a qualified, licensed electrician before starting any electrical project. You are responsible for ensuring your work meets local building codes and safety requirements. I am not liable for any damages, injuries, or issues that may arise from attempting to replicate anything described here. 

After reading reviews and comparing features I went with the Emporia Classic. It hit the balance I wanted: not the cheapest, not the fanciest, but solid. The biggest benefit is that it's compatible with National Grid's off-peak program and can automatically schedule charging based on off peak hours. It charges reliably, has Wi-Fi and an app for scheduling and monitoring, and it offers both a plug (NEMA 14-50) option and a hardwire whip. Since my install was outdoors and I wanted a clean look, I chose the hardwire route.

Installation was straightforward because I had a lucky break: an abandoned hose spigot right above my electrical panel. I removed the spigot, mounted a single-gang outdoor electrical box, ran flexible conduit through the old hole, and pulled the properly sized wire to the panel. The Emporia hardware uses a ¾" threaded PVC conduit fitting which made connecting to the outdoor box easy and neat.

Why you don’t need 200A just to run a Bolt

A lot of people assume you need a 200-amp service for Level-2 charging — but the Chevy Bolt’s onboard AC charger limits it to roughly 32 amps (about 7.2–7.7 kW) on Level-2, so you don’t need a huge circuit to get useful charge overnight.

That was handy for me: I installed a 40-amp breaker for the charger circuit (a common choice), but I configured the Emporia to behave as if it were on a 30-amp circuit. In practice that gives me a safe buffer so the EV and the charger never try to pull the full 40A, while still topping the car overnight easily.

National Grid off-peak (what I enrolled in)

If you’re in Massachusetts and served by National Grid, they run an off-peak EV program that pays rebates for charging during designated off-peak hours. The program currently offers $0.05/kWh for off-peak charging in summer months (June 1–Sept 30) and $0.03/kWh in non-summer months (Oct 1–May 31). There’s also a one-time enrollment incentive in some rollouts. Charging must occur within Massachusetts and you generally enroll through the program portal or partner app. (Check National Grid for eligibility and the exact program window/dates — they publish full details).

A couple practical notes: confirm the exact off-peak hours for your account (they’re published by National Grid and can vary by program/version), enroll so your off-peak charging shows up in the program’s tracking tools, and set your charger schedule to charge during those windows for the rebate.

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Charging math (so you can see the real overnight numbers)

Assumptions I used (conservative & realistic):

• 2020-era Bolt usable battery capacity: ~60 kWh is a common conservative usable figure for many 2020 Bolts (some later replacements/upgrades push to ~66 kWh).

• Starting state of charge (SoC) for this example: 50%, so you need to add ~30 kWh to get to 100%.

• Charger/vehicle losses: account for ~10% charging overhead (heat/inefficiencies). I show results both without and with that 10% loss so you can see both ideal and realistic cases.

Power from a 240V circuit = 240 V × amps ÷ 1000 = kW.
So:

• 20 A → 240 × 20 / 1000 = 4.8 kW

• 30 A → 240 × 30 / 1000 = 7.2 kW

• 32 A → 240 × 32 / 1000 = 7.68 kW (Bolt is limited to ~7.2–7.7 kW by its onboard charger). 

HOURS to add 30 kWh (ideal, no losses)

• 20 A (4.8 kW): 30 ÷ 4.8 = 6.25 hours

• 30 A (7.2 kW): 30 ÷ 7.2 = 4.17 hours

• 32 A (7.68 kW): 30 ÷ 7.68 = 3.91 hours

HOURS to add 30 kWh with ~10% charging losses (realistic)

If we assume ~10% loss, you actually need about 33.3 kWh input (30 ÷ 0.9):

• 20 A (4.8 kW): 33.33 ÷ 4.8 ≈ 6.94 hours

• 30 A (7.2 kW): 33.33 ÷ 7.2 ≈ 4.63 hours

• 32 A (7.68 kW): 33.33 ÷ 7.68 ≈ 4.34 hours

Bottom line: even at the conservative 20-amp rate you’ll get a full 50%->100% overnight in under 7 hours (with losses). At 30A and 32A you’re easily done in a single overnight window (4–5 hours). That’s why the Bolt on a properly configured 30–32A L2 circuit is more than enough for daily commuting.

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Practical tips from my install

• If your charger supports setting a max breaker/amps (like the Emporia), set the charger lower than the breaker to keep a safety buffer. I used a 40A breaker and set the charger to run as if it were on 30A.

• Schedule charging during off-peak hours (National Grid) to capture rebates and lower per-kWh cost — the program’s tracking and rebate make this worthwhile.

• If you’re unsure about fitting conduit/wiring or local code, hire a licensed electrician. That money is well spent for a clean, safe install.

• Double-check connector and box sizes (Emporia uses a ¾" threaded PVC conduit fitting for the outdoor box on the unit I used) so your outdoor run is watertight and neat.

Finding the Bolt : CarMax

By the time I’d decided on getting a Bolt, I knew exactly where I’d start my search: CarMax.

This isn’t my first rodeo with them — in fact, this would be my fourth CarMax car.

Why CarMax? A few big reasons:

• I can search inventory across the country and have anything shipped to me (for a fee).

• The selection is solid, and the buying process can be done entirely online until it’s time to pick up the car.

• Listings have plenty of detailed photos.

• Every car comes with an AutoCheck report.

• They have real people you can call with questions.

Now, I’ll be honest — CarMax is usually a little more expensive than other options. But for me, the time it saves (and the headaches it avoids) is worth every penny. I’d rather pay a bit more and skip the drama than spend days arguing in a showroom.

Are they perfect? No. Things can go wrong. But every time I’ve had a problem, they’ve fixed it quickly and fairly — which is more than I can say for most local dealerships.

That’s actually how my CarMax habit began. Years ago, I tried to buy a Chrysler 200 from two different local dealers. It was everything you’d expect from a dealership stuck in 1970: high-pressure sales, endless back-and-forth, little “surprise” add-ons. The same tired games.

Frustrated, I gave CarMax a shot. I was on vacation, sitting in an Airbnb with my Chromebook. Over morning coffee, I searched for the car I wanted, found it, bought it, and had it shipped — all before anyone else in the house even woke up. When I got home a week later, I just finalized the paperwork. No drama, no wasted weekends, no “let me talk to my manager.”

The Bolt search has been just as smooth. In fact, CarMax delayed the sale for a bit when they noticed it didn’t come with a charger. I didn’t have to argue or point it out — they just fixed the issue before handing me the keys.

So while the sale isn’t completely wrapped up yet, so far it’s been the exact kind of car-buying experience I like: no games, no headaches, and everything done at my own pace.

From EV1 to Bolt: A 25-Year Detour

I’ve been chasing an electric dream since the late ’90s — and it’s taken me 25 years, three missed chances, and a lot of “what ifs” to finally get here.

Back in the late ’90s, I had my eyes on the EV1. It was sleek, futuristic, and unlike anything else on the road. The problem? I was too young to afford one, and it wasn’t even sold in Massachusetts. My electric dream was parked before it even left the driveway.

Years later, GM announced the Spark EV. It was no EV1, but it had that same spark of possibility (pun intended). The problem this time? Still not sold here. We ended up buying the gas version instead — fun little car, but not what I really wanted.

When the Spark EV started showing up used, I was tempted. I even looked at having one shipped from CarMax. But the Spark EV was a “compliance car” — built mainly to satisfy California’s emissions requirements. That meant I wasn’t convinced GM would stick around to support the batteries long-term. Turns out, I was right.

Somewhere in there, I briefly flirted with the idea of a Tesla. It had the range, the performance, and the tech — but I wasn’t sold. The build quality left me cold, the vibe felt like the kind of car a BMW 3 Series driver would “graduate” to, and I didn’t love how much control the company kept over the car after you bought it. And then, of course, the price tag landed — which made the decision easy.

Fast forward to recently, and the itch came back. I found myself looking at Spark EVs again… but with the battery degradation they suffer over time, there was no way it could reliably make my daily commute.

Then I spotted it: used Chevy Bolts, priced low enough that I could trade in my ICE car and still have money left over. Longer range, still all electric, and — unlike the Spark EV — built to be sold nationwide.

So, after years of “almost” moments, I finally made the leap. I might not be pulling off the lot in a brand-new EV1 from Saturn of Danvers, but in a way, this Bolt feels like I’m finally driving the future I dreamed of back then.